BFA Acting

Lower Division Courses

• THTR 110 Oral Communication of Literature (GE A.1)
• THTR 140B Fundamentals of Acting
• THTR 141A Voice and Movement I: Breath and Awareness
• THTR 141B Voice and Movement II: Text and Narrative
• THTR 160 Intro to Acting (GE C.1)
• THTR 200 Script Analysis
• THTR 240A Beginning Scene Study and Rehearsal Techniques
• THTR 240B Scene Study and Developing the Role
• THTR 241A Voice and Movement: Devised Theatre
• THTR 241A Voice and Movement: Character Transformation
• THTR 275 World Theatre I
• THTR 277 Costume Design or THTR 285 Theatrical Makeup
• THTR 278B Production Activity (1 unit)

Upper Division Courses

• THTR 300 level courses (3 units, GE C.3 & Z): THTR 300 Cultural Diversity in Theatre, THTR 315 Chicano/Latino Theatre, THTR 320 Theatre and Issues in Society, THTR 357 Blacks in the Performing Arts, DANC 301 Dance and Cultural Diversity, DANC 371 African American Concert Dance History 
• THTR 340A Stanislavski Training
• THTR 340B Foreign Realism
• THTR 341A Voice and Movement: Physical Comedy
• THTR 341B Voice and Movement: Dialects
• THTR 375 World Theatre II
• THTR 440A Classical Text Analysis
• THTR 440B Owning Classical Text
• THTR 441A Voice and Movement: Heightened Circumstances
• THTR 441B Voice and Movement: Voice Over Technique
• THTR 482A Acting IV: Camera Techniques for Actor and Director
• THTR 482B Acting IV: Camera Techniques for Actor and Director
• THTR 475 World Theatre III
• THTR 478A Performance Activity (4 units)
• THTR 478B Production Activity (3 unit)
• Electives (3 units)

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting* prepares students for a professional career in theatre both in plays and television and film. This concentration seeks students who exhibit exceptional talent, motivation and commitment, and combines rigorous coursework with ample opportunity to apply the training in performance. Incoming students interested in a BFA in Acting must take part in a New Student Placement Audition.

*This degree requires an audition before being accepted into the program.  For more information about the audition process go here.

Program Experiences

Program Overview

The BFA in Acting prepares students for a professional career in theatre both in plays, musicals, and television and film. The program seeks students who exhibit exceptional talent, motivation, and commitment, and combines rigorous coursework with ample opportunity to apply their training into performance.

We celebrate student authenticity and help guide students towards their professional goals as an artist. We practice inclusivity, compassion, grit, and work ethic and embrace diversity, collaboration, and creativity.

Students participate in 3 units of THTR 278B/478B Production crew, which provides the opportunity for students to develop technical knowledge and observe the production process through participation in the technical development of a departmental production.

Reach out if you’d like to sit in on class and see what we are about. Contact BFA Acting Area Coordinator: Professor  Maria Cominis.

Performance Opportunities
Production opportunities are a significant component of the BFA Acting curricular arc and an opportunity for students to apply their training to performance.
First year students will present a class project both semesters and are eligible to audition for the mainstage season second semester of the first year.
Second Year students will perform with their cohort in a Studio Series ensemble play directed by faculty or guest director.
Third- and Fourth-year students are eligible to audition for main stage productions. 

Students participate in 4 units of Mainstage Performance THTR 478A.

Faculty/Student
 Ratio
BFA Acting students can expect a 16:1 student/teacher ratio in performance classes.

 

Alumni & National Distinction

National Distinction

• Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region VIII
• Excellence is education
• Irene Ryan Winners and finalists
• National representation in Washington, D.C. 
• National Endowment of the Arts Grant 2023

Alumni
To see what students and former students are up to,  follow us  on social media. 

Course Work and Preferred Pre-Requisite Courses

• Degree Roadmap
• Second Year Placement - pending assessment
  • 2 Beginning Acting courses
  • 2 Voice and Movement courses
  • Script Analysis (preferred)
• Third Year Placement - pending assessment
  • 2 Beginning Acting courses
  • 2 Intermediate Acting courses
  • 2-4 Voice and Movement courses
  • Script Analysis (preferred)